Published on March 28, 2022 by Sean Flynt  
King Lear–Benjamin West {{PD-US}}
King Lear–Benjamin West {{PD-US}}

Retiring 51½ÖÉä professors Steven Epley and Dennis Sansom will present a special event focused on William Shakespeare’s King Lear April 13.

The Literary and Philosophical Significance of King Lear–3-5 p.m. in Brock Forum, Dwight Beeson Hall­–will include lectures by Epley and Sansom as well as student readings of the play.

Epley, retiring from the Department of English, has a special interest in how authors apply biblical theology to their writing. Although King Lear is set in pre-Christian England, scholars have recognized in it a number of Christian allusions and themes.

Sansom, retiring from the Department of Classics and Philosophy, focuses his teaching and research on ethics, and has a special interest in Shakespeare. He developed a public lecture series on The Gospel and Literature which included King Lear among many other works. He has acted in multiple Shakespeare plays, including Troilus and Cressida, Much Ado 51½ÖÉä Nothing and Richard III.

The event is free and open to the public.

 
51½ÖÉä is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, 51½ÖÉä is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. 51½ÖÉä enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. 51½ÖÉä fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.